'Welcome to Sweden' TV comedy made welcome across the Atlantic

Euronews

‘Welcome to Sweden’ is a TV comedy that debuted on the Stockholm based channel, TV4 in March this year and the series was such a hit that it is now being aired in the US and Canada.

The show is based on the experiences of American actor and producer Greg Poehler who moved to the country with his Swedish girlfriend in 2006.

Poehler insists it is not his life story: “I am an American that lives in Sweden so let’s start there. The similarities are identical in that sense. I’ve been living there for eight years so I have eight years worth of material for the show, so the premise of course is identical. I’d say my own life, my own transition into Swedish life is a lot smoother than my character’s transition.”

Although the romantic comedy focuses on laughs, life for an immigrant in Sweden is not all fun and games Poehler said: “I think the struggles he has are the same struggles that any immigrant goes through. It doesn’t matter where you move if you’re starting over and trying to reinvent yourself and become someone new there’s a series of events, life events that you have to go through like the basics. Really starting over. Finding a place to live, finding friends, getting a job, meeting the family. Moving somewhere and being an immigrant is often a lonely experience and existence and it’s not easy.”

‘Welcome to Sweden’ is currently wowing audiences on NBC TV in the US.